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STEPHEN B. WEEKS 

CLASS OF 1886; PH.D. THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY ie 

OF THE 4 
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA. |p 
THE WEEKS COLLECTION |p 


OF 
ILINIANA 


ian 


This book must not 
be taken from the. 
Library building. 


Form No. 471 


STATEMENT OF FACTS. 
; E PEOPLES PARTY STATE CENTRAL 
COMMITTEE. © 


4 ; i 
arty was formed July 4, 1892. Its organization was in- 
-spired a1 actically forced by the vacillating characteristics and decep- 
_ tive practices of the, then, two dominant political parties of this country, 
' viz: the Democratic and Republican parties. ‘These two parties had been 
_ smanipulated by the same agencies for twenty years and are now, but 
this fact for the greater part of the time was: recognized by only a few 
people. The leaders managed, for this long time, to play upon the pre- 
_. judices and influence the sentiment of the people by keeping alive the 
fires of sectionalism, by tearing open afresh the wounds of the civil war, 
_ by the tactics known as ‘“‘ waving the bloody shirt,’’ and by setting 
_ the public by the ears over the ‘‘tariff’’ issue. During all this time the 
pe praders ’’ of both parties were working together for a common end: the 
a _ robbery of the people by the quiet inauguration and firm establishment of 
a pernicious, class-favoring financial system and by an entrenchment in 
Gy power of great trusts, corporatious, monopoly syndicates, etc. 
_ While these schemes were in course of incubation (and they appear to 
be fully hatched at this time) warning voices were heard now and then 
ee which would have been listened to, perhaps, if the schemers had not 
_~__— wisely and shrewdly broken their force by adroitly arranging that it 
should appear that one of the old parties would be successful in one elec- 
tion and the other old party would be successful in the next election. It 
must be admitted that this clever policy tricked and deceived a large ma- 
jority of the people for years and years, and is deceivitig large numbers 
d ‘them even to this day. It was decreed that the Republican party 
ould be victorious in one campaign, that the Democratic party should 
> victorious in the next, and that this pendulum-like swing should be 
i kept up for the purpose of inspiring voters to rally under the call of party, 
‘leaders ’» and be made to think that they were gaining victories over 


i 


each other. But ALL, THE TIM it was decreed by the schemers that the 
men elected should be THEIR MEN, THEIR AGENTS AND THEIR tools te- 
_ gardless of whether they were Democrats or Republicans. As to how 
‘Sliccessful the schemers have been in their plans, let history for the past — 

net en your years speak. ‘The national elections have resulted as follows: 4 


sY 


Ret ire Ay it 
oF TN eee at 


aS | ‘4 we 
: Ne iy? 3 


mocratic Party Honest? 


1872—U. S. Grant, Republican, 
1876—S. J. Tilden, Democrat. 
1880-—J. G. Garfield, Republican: 
1884—Grover Cleveland, Democrat. 
1888—Benjamin Harrison, Republican. 
1892—Grover Cleveland, Democrat. 
1896—Wm. McKinley, Republican. 


It will be noted in the above record of the ‘‘political pendulum-swing” see 
that the name of Tilden appears. While he was not inaugurated as Pres- | 
ident, the fact of his election has always been generally recognized, tut 
most probable reason for his not being seated is that the same forces © 


which procured his nomination and election discovered that he would 
not be as pliable as they might desire that he should be, and then con- 
spired to undo the very work they had done, . 

_ It was not nntil 1892 that. the people sdetermined that the “ political 
pendulum-swing ’’ scheme which “had so outrageously and scandalously 
deceived voters for many years should be exposed and condemned. In 
that year the representatives of a courageous and patriotic people held a 
convention at Omaha, issued an address and adopted.a platform which 
amounted to a new ‘‘ Declaration of Independence,’ and on which a 


campaign of education has since been conducted with so much vigor, sin-. 


cerity and effect as to drive both the old parties to the necessity of mak- 


ing any sort of promise, or of resorting to the most corrupt methods that . 


the power plutocracy can devise, to keep theniselves from disintegration. 

This same convention further determined and declared that ‘‘sectional- 
ism’’ was dead and should be buried; that ‘‘the waving of the bloody 
shirt’”’ was obnoxious and destructive to a proper national spirit, and that 
the civil war over in the following words: 

“We assert our purposes to be identical with the purposes of the 
National Constitution. ‘To form a more perfect union, establish justice, 
insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote 
the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and 


our posterity.’ We declare that this republic can only endure as a free | 


government while built upon the love of the whole people for each other 
_ and for the nation; that it cannot be pinned together by bayonets; THAT 
THE CIVIL WAR IS OVER, and that every passion and every resentment 
which grew out of it must die with it, and that we must be in fact, as we 
are in name, one united brotherhood of freedom.”’ 

This educational campaign, from the beginning, has been opposed by 
the combined forces of the old political parties, and the opposition took 


and still retains the form of denunciation, abuse, misrepresentation, vil- 


ification, slander and lying; but despite all this, the principles enunci- 
ated by the People’s Party appealed to the justice of the people, and it 
was wot long before one of the most common remarks and assertions 
among the members of the old parties was to the effect that if certain 
principles advocated by- the People’s Party were not endorsed by the old 


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parties, allegiance would no longer be given them. ‘This was especially 
true and marked among members of the Democratic party. 

Such conditions gave many of the ‘‘leaders”’ of the Democratic party 
uneasiness and alarm; and when that party met in national convention 
in Chicago in 1896, it sought to preserve itself for a few more years and 
‘also to destroy the People’s Party by adopting a platform embodying the 
essential principles of the People’s Party platform. Nothing was more 
common for awhile than the jibe, ‘‘The Democrats stole the Populist 
platform,’ and nothing was ever more true. As a matter of reference 
and comparison, the chief “planks” of the People’s Party platform 
adopted. in 1892, and simzlar ‘‘planks’? of the Democratic platform 


- work, neither shall he eat.” 


| adopted in 1896 Mow years later), are here given: 


PEOPLE'S PARTY PLATFORM 
1892. 

‘““We demand a national currency, 
safe, sound and flexible, issued by 
the General Government only, a 
full legal tender for all debts, pub- 
lic and private, and that without the 
use of banking corporations; a just, 
equitable and efficient means of dis- 
tribution, direct to the people ata 
tax not exceeding 2 percent. * * * 


_ ‘We demand free and unlimited 
coinage of silver and gold at the 
_ present legal ratio of 16 to 1.”’ 


“Wealth belongs to him who 
“creates it, and every dollar taken 
- from industry without an equiva- 
lent is robbery. ‘If any will not 
The 
interests of rural and civic labor are 


a Waco same; their enemies are ident- 


ical. 


DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM 
1896... 
“Congress alone has the power to 
coin and issue money, and Presi- 


‘dent Jackson declared that ‘this 


power could not be delegated to 
corporations or individuals. We 
therefore denounce the issuance of - 
notes intended to circulate as 
money by national banks, as in 
derogation of the Constitution, and 
we demand that all paper which is 
made a legal tender for public and 
private debts, and which is receiy- 
able for dues to the United States, 
shall be issued by the United States 
and shal] be redeemable in coin.”’ 


‘‘We demand the free and un- 
limited coinage of both silver and 
gold at the present legal ratio of 
16 to 1 without waiting for the aid 
or consent of any other nation.” 


“We devlaxe that the act of 1873 


-demonetizing silver _without the 


knowledge or approval of the 
American people has resulted in 
the appreciation of gold and a cor- 
responding fall in prices of eom- 


‘modities produced by the people; 


a heavy increase in the burden of 
taxation, and of all debts, public 
and private; the enrichment of the © 


4 


PEOPLE’S PARTY PLATFORM DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM 


1892, 


‘We believe that the money of 
the country should be kept as much 
as possible in the hands of the peo- 
ple, and hence we demand that all 


State and National revenue shall be - 


limited to the necessary expenses 
of the government, economically 
and honestly administered.”’ 


‘We demand a graduated income 
Ax 


‘Resolved: ‘‘That the revenue 
derived from a graduated income 
tax shonld be applied to the reduc- 
tion of the burden of taxation now 
resting upon the domestic indus- 
tries of this country.”’ : 


‘Transportation being a means of 
change and a public necessity, the 
government should own and oper- 
ate the railroads in the interest of 
the people.”’ : 


1892. 


money-lending class at home and 


abroad; the prostration of industry 
and the impoverishment of the 
poor.”’ : 


‘‘We hold that tariff duties should 
be levied for purposes of revenue, 
such duties to be so adjusted as to 
operate equally throughout the 
country and not discriminate be- 
tween class or section, and that 
taxation should be limited by the 
needs of the government, honestly 
and economically administered.”’ 


* * * «We are opposed to any 


agitation for further changes in our 
tariff laws, except such as are neces- 
sary to meet the deficit in revenue 
caused by the adverse decision of 
the Supreme Court on the income 
tax, * * * that court having in 
that decision sustained constitu- 
tional objections to its enactment 


which had previously been over- 


ruled by the ablest judges who ever 
sat on that bench.” 


‘We declare that it is the duty of 
Congress to use all the constitu- 
tional power which remains after 
that decision, or which may come 
from its reversal by the court as it 
may hereafter be constituted, so 
that the burdens of taxation may 
be equally and impartially laid, to 
the end that wealth may bear its 
due proportion of the expenses of 
the government.’’ 


“The absorption of wealth by the 
few, the combination of our lead- 
ing railroad systems, and the form- 
ation of trusts and pools, require a 
stricter control by the Federal govy- 


ernment of those arteries of com- 


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ss PEOPLE’S PARTY PLATFOR 


1892. 


‘Resolved: That we oppose any 
subsidy or national aid to any 
private corporation for any pur- 
pose.”’ 


“Resolved: That we condemn the 


fallacy of protecting American labor | 


under the present system, which 


opens up our ports to the pauper. 


and criminal classes of the world 
and crowds out our wage earners; 
and we denounce the present inef- 
fective laws against contract labor, 
and demand the further restriction 
of undesirable immigration.” 


“Resolved: That we pledge our 
support to fair and liberal pensions 
to ex-Union soldiers and sailors,”’ 


DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM 
1896. 


merce. We demand the enlarge- 
ment of the powers of the Inter- 
state Commerce Commission, and 
the addition of such restrictions 
and guarantees in the control of 
railroads as will protect the people 
from robbery and oppression.”’ 


“We * * * condemn the traffic- 
ing with banking syndicates which, 
in exchange for bondsand at enorm- 
ous profit to themselves, supply the 
Federal treasury with gold to main- 
tain the policy of gold monometal- 
ism.’’ 


“We hold that the most efficient 
way of protecting American labor 
is to prevent the importation of for- 
eign pauper labor to compete with 
it in the home market, and that the 
value of the home market to our 
American farmers and artisans is 
greatly reduced by a vicious mone- 
tary system, which depresses the 
prices of their products below the 
cost of production, and thus de- 
prives them of the means of pur- 
chasing the products of our home 
manufactories; and as labor creates. 
the wealth of the country, we de- 


- mand the passage of such laws as. 


may be necessary to protect it in 
all its rights.”’ 


“Recognizing the claims of de- 
serving Union soldiers, we heartily 
endorse the rule of the present 
Commissioner of Pensions that no 
names shall be arbitrarily dropped 
from the pension roll, aud that the 
fact of enlistinent and service 
should be deemed conclusive evi- 
dence against disease and disability 
before enlistment.’’ 


© } We ES, 
Tes hat ae 


It is sicony shown by the above comparison that every essential plante’ 
of the platform adopted by the Democratic party in 1896 was ‘“‘stolen” — 
from the platform adopted by the People’s Party in 1892. This theft was. 
inspired by the knowledge that the principles advocated and demanded 
by the People’s Party platform were growing in favor among the people, 
and that millions of them would give neither allegiance nor support to 
any party that would not endorse them. Events which have followed 
the action of the Democratic party in filching this platform warrant the 
suspicion that the manipulators of this party were impelled to that action 
more by a purpose to attract the voters and win their support, than by 
any intention of actually attempting to put the principles declared for 
into operation. 

The scope of this circular will not permit an extended analysis of all 
the incidents connected with what it is desired to set forth. A brief sum- 
mary may be presented at this point: 

1. The platform was formed and adopted by the People’s Party in 1892. 

2. The demands of the platform were opposed, ridiculed and misrepre- 
sented by the press, politicians and orators of the old parties and espe- 
cially those of the Democratic party. 

3. The People’s Party inaugurated and conducted a vigorous campaign 
of education, and the people began to think, to see and to admit the jus- 
tice of its demands and principles. 

4. The Democratic party, despite its opposition for three years, saw the 
necessity of declaring for these demands and principles ir in 1896, to save. 
itself from complete disentegration. 

5. With the adoption of the platform, the Democratic party nominated 
W. J. Bryan for President—a man who had not voted a Democratic ticket 
for four years. 

6. The Democratic party did not accord to the People’s Party any 
credit for the platform, nor did it recognize, by any official act, the exist- 
ence of the People’s Party. 

When the People’s Party met in national convention at St. Louis July 
22, 1896, it was confronted by a perplexing situation. It had fought, for 
four-years, through political storm and fire for what it advocated, to find 
that another party, numerically strong, had declared for People’s Party 
principles. A very considerable number of leading Populists regarded 
the action of the Democratic convention asa great People’s Party victory, 
and favored an official endorsement of that action, and an endorsement 
of the nominees of the Democratic party for President and Vice-Presi- 
dent. This was practically favoring the dissolution of the People’s Party 
and the abandonment of its organization. But a large number of prominent 
Populists recalled the recent record of the Democratic party on one of 
the main issues and principles demanded, and thought it best to main- 
tain the organization of the People’s Party as an impelling force for the 
future; that the record of the Democratic party had just been such as to 
cast doubt and suspicion upon it and it could not yet be fully trusted. That 
record on one issue was as follows: 


7 i 


wes Raat The Forty-ninth Congress was divided politically as follows: In the 
- House 182 Democrats, 140 Republicans, 2 Nationals and 1 vacant, giving 


the Democrats a majority of 42. During this Congress a bill for the free 
and unlimited coinage of silver at a ratio of 16 to 1 was introduced, and 
was killed by Democratic votes. 

The Fiftieth Congress was divided politically as follows: 170 Demo- 
crats, 151 Republicans; Democratic majority 19. No free coinage bill 
introduced. 

The Fifty-second Congress was divided politically as follows: 235 
Democrats, 88 Republicans and 9 Alliancemen, giving the Democrats a 
majority over the Republicans of 147. On March 24, 1892, a bill for the 
free coinage of silver was killed by this Democratic Congress by a vote 
of 148 majority. July 13, 1892, this same Democratic Congress, with a 
majority of 147, killed. another bill for the free and unlimited coinage of 
silver at a ratio of 16 to 1, after it had passed a Republican Senate. 

The Fifty-third Congress was divided politically as follows: 218 Demo- 
crats, 127 Republicans and 11 Populists, a Democratic majority over the 
Republicans of 91. This Congress was called in extra session, and defeated 
a bill for the free coinage of silver at a ratio of 16 to 1, by a two-third 
vote, the 11 Populists voting for the bill. There were 217 Democrats in 
the House. When the vote was taken 101 voted for the bill, and 116 
voted against it. This same Fifty-third Congress of 91 Democratic ma- 
jority voted on five separate bills in one day for the free coinage of silver, 
Viz.: at a ratio of 16 to1, 17 to 1, 18 to 1, 19to1, and 20to1. Thus it 
will be seen that five bills for the free coinage of silver were killed in a 
day by the Democrats. Sh eae 

On November 1, 1893, the Fifty-third Congress, with its 91 majority of 
Democrats, defeated an amendment offered by Mr. Bland to a pending 
oer amendment provided for the free coinage of silver at a ratio 
oO to 1. 

On October 27, 1898, the Senate with a Democratic majority of three, 


defeated Senator Stewart’s amendment to a bill for the free coinage of 


silver. 

In 1892 the Democratic party held State Conventions in thirty-six 
States. In twenty-three of these States the Democratic party declared 
in their platforms for the free coinage of silver and gold ata ratio of 16 to 1. 
But when these Democrats, who were elected on these free silver platforms, 
got to Congress, they ignored their platforms and voted contrary to what 
they had promised the people in the campaign. ree, 

Refer to Mr. Cleveland’s letter of February 10, 1891, in answer to a let- 


ter from E. Ellery Anderson, inviting Mr. Cleveland to attend a meeting 


of the business men of the city of New York. This meeting, he says, 
was for the purpose of voicing the position of the city on the free coinage 


‘of silver in the United States. Mr. Cleveland said, in answer to Mr. 


Anderson: ‘Surely it cannot be necessary to make a formal expression 
of my agreement,’’ What agreement? An agreement that no free silver 
bill shall ever come through the Democratic party. Every one who read 
the Democratic papers after Mr. Cleveland wrote that letter denounced 
Mr. Cleveland in most bitter terms. But when the Democratic Conven- 
tion met in Chicago on June 21, 1892, Mr. Cleveland was nominated and 
elected President. The Democratic papers which had been so loud in 
their denunciations agaist Mr. Cleveland fell into line, as they were 


forced to do, and said and did all in their power for his election. 


Hoke Smith, John G. Carlisle, Dan Voorhees, Matt Ransom and Sena- 
tor Gorman were loud in their pretensions for the free coinage of silver in 
the campaign in 1892. But they fell under the domination of Cleveland, 
and are now advocates of a gold standard. 


y 


8 


With a record like this, it was quickly determined that it would be great 
folly to take any course that would have a tendency to dissolution on the 
part of the Populists. But they were true to their principles and plat- 


‘form, and since the Democrats had nominated W. J. Bryan for President, 


a man whom the People’s Party could trust, he was made tHe candidate 
of the Populists with the reservation, however, that the Democratic party 
was not yet to be fully trusted. The story of how the People’s Party 
stood loyally by Bryan and supported him, even when large factions of 
the party that first nominated him left him and betrayed him, is too well 
known to make any recital of it here necessary. Thus it was that the 
FIRST time the Populists were confronted by a test, they proved true to 
principle without reference to party, and did everything possible to throw 
together the strength of all forces professing to favor the same purposes 
and ends. | | 


AN EFFORT TO UNITE REFORM FORCES IN NORTH CAROLINA, 


The policy of the National People’s Party Convention, in attempting to 
unite all financial reform forces, was followed by the Populists in North 
Carolina. Their State Convention was held the 13th day of August, 1896, 
and in connection with that meeting they attempted to effect a union 
with the State Democratic party on a profession of its faith. The Demo- 
cratic party had held a State Convention in June, and while adopting © 
what was a platform of Populist principles, ignored the existence of the 
People’s Party. That convention was so full of lawyers who were mostly 
the agents and employees of railroad rings, trusts and corporations, that 
it acquired the name of ‘The Great Lawyer Convention.” It was’a 
“reform fake’ of the most ridiculous description, but since they declared 
for Populist principles in the main, and more especially since their 
National Convention soon afterwards stole the Populist platform, the 
People’s Party offered a plan of co-operation for the purpose of uniting, 
in the State, the forces which claimed to advocate the same measures. 
So, on the 12th day of August, 1896, a day before the meeting of the 
Populist State Convention, the People’s Party State Committee offered the 
Democratic State Executive Committee (which was then in Raleigh and 
in session) the following proposition as a basis of union in the State on 


the State ticket : 


‘“As to electors on the Presidential ticket: Democrats 6, Populists 5. 
As to State officers: Populists to have Governor, Treasurer, Superin- 
tendent of Public Instruction. Democrats to have Lieutenant-Governor, 
Secretary of State, Auditor, Attorney-General and United States Senator. 
OR . 
As to State officers: Democrats to have Governor, Attorney-General, — 
Superintendent of Public Instruction. Populists to have Lieutenant- 


Governor, Treasurer, Secretary of State, Auditor and United States Sena- — 
tor. ; 


As to Congressmen: Populists, first, fourth, sixth and seventh districts. 


_ Democrats, second, fifth, eighth and ninth districts, with the third dis- 
- trict left open for a free contest. 


( 
2 


9 


' As to Judges: Each party, one Supreme Court Judge. 

_ As to county officers: The two executive committees to use their good 
offices to secure a fair and honorable division of county and legislative 
candidates between the two parties in an equitable ratio, similar to the 
above division of State and Congressional offices. 


Nothing was heard from this proposition. The People’s Party State 
Convention met the next day and could have acted on any reply from 
the Democratic committee, but no reply came. And thus, for a SECOND 
TIME the Populists made an official effort to unite thoroughly all the 
forces professing to favor similar reforms, and for the SECOND TIME failed 
to effect such union. It will be recalled that later on an effort to combine 
these forces on the Electoral ticket only was successful, and that this com- 
bination carried the State for Bryan by about 20,000 majority. The 
refusal of the Democrats to effect a further combination of forces resulted 
in a defeat for them by a majority of 40,000 in the State election. | 

Thus it appears, azd is a fact, that the People’s Party, from the time of 

‘its organization in 1892 and through the years including 1896, during 
which the greatest political battle ever waged was fought, has stood. for 
its principles and made all possible honorable efforts to create power to 


_ put them into operation. Whenever any other party endorsed these 


principles or a part of them, the People’s Party has been quick to recog- 
nize such action, and quick to make overtures for a union of force and 
strength with a view to securing their enactment into law, and after that, 
their actual operation. 


THE YEAR 1898, AND MORE PLATFORM STEALING. 


Now, let later political proceedings be reviewed. The year 1897 was not 
devoid of interest, though it was not a year of political contest. Plat- 
forms made in 1896, however, were still in force and there was always 
more or less speculation concerning the probable union of various forces 
favoring the same measures and principles. But the current year, 1898, 
has already proven to be eventful, and holds, for the future, matters of 
absorbing interest. A political contest, already begun, is to be fought ° 
out in the State of North Carolina, and its beginning has been and now is 
significant. Already the People’s Party has made a THIRD ATTEMPT to 
unite forces professing to advocate the same principles. Officially speak- 
ing, this attempt has been unsuccessful. A recital of this THIRD ATTEMPT 
must have place here. 7 Ayes . | 
_ The People’s Party State Convention met in Raleigh on May 17, 1898. 
 Asplendid platform was adopted by a representative body of men. As 
has ever been the policy of the party, it was ready to co-operate with any 
party believing in and advocating Populist principles, without asking 
such party to abandon its organization; and to emphasize and make clear 
such policy, it adopted, in addition to the platform, the following reso- 
lutions: i Pa 
WHEREAS, The People’s Party was organized to remove the causes that 
produce hard times in the midst of plenty by overthrowing the dontina- 


10 


tion of the gold ring and its allied trusts and monopolies, and-by restor- 

ing our government to the great fundamental principles of good govern- 

ment as advocated by Jefferson, Jackson and Lincoln; and . 
WHEREAS, To-day the rank and file of all parties (including a large 


majority of the voters of the United States) unequivocally agree with us ~ 


on the great fundamental questions involved and the results for which 
we have constantly striven; and 

WHEREAS, The only difference between this great majority of patriotic 
voters is as to questions of detail and method; now therefore 

feesolved Ist, That we most earnestly endorse the address recently 
issued by the National Chairman of the People’s Party, and the open 
letter of Hon. W. J. Bryan in the New York Yournal urging an 
honorable and harmonions co-operation of all who oppose the dominion 
of gold and monopoly, and who favor the overthrow of the National 
Bank and railroad influence in controlling legislation. 

fesolved 2d, That in the coming State election we invite the patriotic 
co-operation of any party or faction of a party that favors the above gen- 
eral principles and that will co-operate with us to secure the following 
results, viz: . 

_(1.) To elect nine free silver and anti-monopoly Congressmen. 

(2.) To elect six judges of ability and high character and free from 
partisan bias. 

(3.) To elect twelve solicitors, fearless and impartial. 

(4.) To elect an anti-monopoly Legislature pledged to the following, ~ 
viz: 

(A) A Legislature opposed to the demonetization of silver by private 
contract, and which will enact legislation to put a stop to the giving and 
taking of gold notes and mortgages. , 

(B) A Legislature opposed to government by injunction, which will 
enact sufficient legislation, including a license law similar to the Wiscon- 
sin statute, to effectually prevent the removal to Federal courts all causes 
which should be tried in our State courts. - 

(C) A Legislature opposed to the 99 year lease of the North Carolina 
Railroad, and which will use all lawful and legitimate means to set the 
same aside. 

(D) A Legislature opposed to free passes, and which will make the 
present law prohibiting the giving of free passes apply equally to those 
receiving the same. 

(E) A Legislature in favor of a free ballot and a fair count, and which 
will enact legislation guaranteeing to each political party the right of 
rene represented on all election boards by representatives of its own se- 

ection, 

(F) A Legislature in favor of a system of local self-government, and 
which will enact under proper safe-guards sufficient legislation to guar- 
antee to the counties the right to elect local officials. 

(G) A Legislature in favor of a reduction of freight, passenger and ex- 
press rates, and of telegraph and>telephone tariffs to the gold standard 
level: that will endorse the action of Commissioner Pearson in taking 
a stand for such reduction, and which will favor upholding the Railroad 
Commission law, making the same effective according to all of its intents 
and purposes, and which will enact legislation providing for the election 
of Railroad Commissioners by the people. 

Resolved, That this convention elect a conference committee which 
shall be authorized to confer with any party or faction of a party that - 


declares its endorsement of the above principles and purposes, and that 
favors co-operation with the People’s Party, to carry the same into effect. 
upon such basis as will maintain intact the integrity of the People’s 
Party, and as will preserve to it not less than its present representation 
in both State and National affairs. 


11 


These resolutions were intended to show and do show what is desired, 
believed in and demanded by the People’s Party in North Carolina, and 
they announce the policy it is willing to pursue in order to achieve success. 

The Democratic State Convention met in Raleigh on May 26, the week 
after the meeting of the Populist Convention. Following the illustrious 


example of their National convention, the Democrats proceeded to steal 
as much of the Populist platform as was necessary to make a decent and 


tenable platform for themselves. Below is given the People’s Party plat- 


form, and so much of it as was purloined by the Democratic convention: 


PEOPLE’S PARTY PLATFORM DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM 


ADOPTED MAY 17, 1898. 


The Peoples Party of North Caro- 


lina, in convention assembled at 
Raleigh, on the 17th day of May, 
1898, hereby affirms its unqualified 
allegiance to the principles of the 


party, and hereby approves the plat- ° 


form of the Peoples Party adopted 


. dent ADOPTED MAY 


, 1898. 


The Democratic party of North 
Carolina in convention assembied 
in Raleigh, N. C., on this day, May 
26, 1898, do hereby approve, indorse 
and ratify the last Democratic Na- 
tional and State platform, and 
pledge our earnest support to the 


at its National convention held in principles therein expressed. 
the city of St. Louis, July 22, 1896. 


THERE ELECTION LAW. 


We hereby reaffirm our fixed de- We favor fair and just election 
termination to support and main- laws. 
tain a free ballot and a fair count 
in all elections held in North Caro- 
lina. To this end we contend that 
it is of vital importance for each 
political party to have on all elec- 
tion boards, representatives of their 
own selection. We condemn the 
Republican party and those who 
joined with it in the last legislature 
to strike this just, essential and » 
vital provision from the election 


‘Jaw of 1895; and we pledge our- 


selves to use our best efforts in the 
next legislature to re-enact this pro- 
vision into law. | ite 
LOCAL SELF GOVERNMENT. 
We are in favor of guaranteeing (No expression. ) 
in the respective counties the right 
of local self-government by the 
election of their county commis- 
sioners and justices of the peace by 
the vote of the people, under proper 
safe-guards, to guarantee the best 
possible government to each coun- 
ty; and we pledge the Peoples 
Party to the continued support and 
maintenance.of that principle, and 
/ 


, 


PEOPLE’S PARTY PLATFORM 
ADOPTED MAY 17, 1898. 


warn the voters of the danger of 
electing members of the General 
Assembly hostile thereto. 


GOLD NOTES AND MORTGAGES. 


We believe that all money de- 
mands should be payable in the 
lawful money of the United States 
without preference or discrimina- 
tion, and therefore favor the pass- 
age by the General Assembly of a 
law to prohibit the taking or giving 
of gold notes, bonds and mortgages 
in this State, and to make all the 
money demands solvable in any 
kind of lawful money of the United 
States. 


DENOUNCE SPAIN’S POLICY. 


To avenge the Maine, to advance 
republican institutions, and in the 
interests of humanity, the brutal 
and treacherous Spaniards should 
be driven from the western hemiis- 
phere and a Republican form of 
goverument established in the 
islands which she has misgoverned, 
robbed, persecuted and pillaged. 


AGAINST ISSUING INTEREST-BEAR- 
ING BONDS. 


We condemn the present national 
administration for its efforts to 
fasten upon the people and future 
generations the burden of interest- 
bearing bonds and for endorsing 
and carrying out the infamous bond 
and monopoly policy of the pre- 
ceding administration of Grover 
Cleveland. 

We commend the action of the 
Populists, silver Republicans and 
silver Democrats in Congress for 
their wise, brave and patriotic 
course in solidly co-operating to 
strike out the bond provision of the 
pending war revenue bill, and to 


substitute therefor an issue of green-. 


backs and the coinage of the silvér 
seinorage to carry on the war. 


DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM 
‘PLANKS? ADOPTED MAY 
26, 1898. 


(No expression.) 


We denounce the Republican 
party for its determination to issue 
bonds at this time, and we denounce 
the Republican war tax bill which 
lately passed the House of Repre- 
sentatives as unjust, unequal in its 
burdens, unnecessary atid vexa- 
tious, and we demand that the sil- 
ver seigniorage be coined; that an 
incomne tax be levied, and that the 
Secretary of the Treasury be author- 
ized to issue the necessary amount 
of full legal tender greenbacks, or 
United States Treasury notes, in 
order to meet the expenses of the 
war with Spain and to supply the 
revenue deficit under the Dingley 
bill. While we deplore the war 
with Spain we pledge our earnest 
support to the government in all 
honorable ways to effect a speedy 
and successful conclusion of hos- 
tilities. «. 


18 


PEOPLE’S PARTY PLATFORM 
ADOPTED MAY 17, 1898. 


INTEREST. 


We pledge ourselves to maintain 
the six per cent. interest law en- 
acted by the General Assembly of 
1895. 

PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 


The action of the People’s Party 
members of the last two General 
Assemblies has demonstrated, be- 
yond question, that the People’s 
Party has been true to its antece- 
dent platform declarations in favor 
of public education. We demand 
still further improving and broaden- 
ing the public school system of the 
State as rapidly as a proper regard 
for the interests of the tax-payers 
and the resources of the State will 
permit. Wealso favor such revis- 
ion of our present school system as 
may increase the efficiency of our 
public schools and insure the most 
competent and effective supervis- 
ion, 


NON-PARTIZAN JUDICIARY. 
Our Judiciary should be kept 


above the plane of partisan politics. 
To this end we appeal to ail good 


citizens to join us in our efforts to 


make a non-partisan judiciary an 
established and permanent feature 
of our State government. 


REFORMATORY FOR YOUNG CRIMI- 
NALS. 


We favor the establishment of a 
State institution for the reformation 
of young criminals. 


4 FREE PASSES. 
We call attention to the inter- 


ference of railroad corporations in 
our politics as one of the greatest 


_ sources of corruption in our State 


and National governments. Free 
passes and other favoritisms and 
discriminations are among the most 
poisonous and effective weapons to 
corrupt politics and defeat the will 


DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM 
‘sPLANKS” ADOPTED MAY 
26, 1898. 


( No expression. ) 


We favor a government of the 
people, by the people and for the 
people—economy in expenditure, 
the abolition of unnecessary offices, 
decency in administration, constant 
improvement of our educational 
system, charity to the unfortunate, 
and rule by the white men of the 
State. 


(No expression. ) 


We condemn free passes. 


14 


PEOPLE’S PARTY PLATFORM DEMOCRATIC PLATPORM 


ADOPTED MAY 17, 1898. 


of the people in legislative halls. 
Therefore we favor a law not only 
forbidding the giving of free passes 
and other favoritisms and discrimi- 
nations, but also forbidding any 
one, except the actual employees of 
said’ corporations, from recelving 
the same. 


ELECTION OF RAILROAD COMMIS- 
SIONERS BY THE PEOPLE. 


No State has a better railroad 
commission law than North Caro- 
lina, but the public has not receiv- 
ed the benefit the law was designed 
to produce on account of the failure 
of our Railroad Commissioners to 
do their duty under the law. As 
one remedy for this evil we are in 
favor of the election of Railroad 
Commissioners by a direct vote of 
the people. 


REDUCTION OF FREIGHT AND PAS- 
SENGER RATES. 

We favor a reduction of freight, 

express and passenger rates, tele- 


graph and telephone tariffs to the _ 


same level to which the general 
range of prices of products has 
fallen under the gold standard. If 
the Railway Commission continues 
to refuse to do its duty in this re- 
spect, we are in favor of such re- 
duction being made directly by the 
next Legislature. 


NORTH CAROLINA RAILROAD 
LEASE, 

We condemn the lease of the 
North Carolina Railroad to the 
Southern Railway Company for 
ninety-nine years, not only as a 
bad business transaction in which 
the interests of the State amounting 
to the large sum of $3,000,000 in- 
‘vested in good paying - property 
yielding an income were sacrificed; 
but we also, in most emphatic 
terms, condemn the hasty and 
secret manner in which it was done 
several years before the former 
thirty years’ lease, by its terms, 
would have expired. We call the 
attention of the people of the State 
to the fact that the mysterious 
power of a strong railroad lobby 


“PLANKS” ADOPTED MAY 
26, 1898. 


We favor the election of United 
States Senators and Railroad Com- 
missioners by the people. 


We favor the extension of the 
powers of the Railroad Commis- 
sion, and closer scrutiny into the 
affairs in order to ascertain, .estab- 
lish and maintain such rates as shall 
be fair and just to the people and 
to the transportation and transmis- 
sion corporations. 


(No expression. ) 


PEOPLE’S PARTY PLATFORM 
ADOPTED MAY 17, 1898. 


prevented the last Legislature from 
enacting the necessary legislation 
to enable the State to make an in- 
vestigation through the proper le- 
gal channels, of the transaction, 
which was so universally condemn- 


' ed by the press of the State and all 


classes of citiz@ns, when it first be- 
came known. We.therefore de- 
mand that the next General As- 
sembly. fully investigate this trans- 
action, and to the end that the in- 
terest of the State may be fully 
protected as far as it can be done, 
such ‘legislative action shall be 
taken as to counteract, as far as 


15 


possible, this unwise and secret 


transaction. 


REMOVAL OF CASES. 


The removal of cases from the 
State courts to the Federal courts 
for trial and especially wherein 
the plaintiffs are poor persons and 
the defendants are rich foreign 


corporations, on application of de- 


fendants, isa growing evilin North 
Carolina, and in its practical oper- 


ation frequently amounts to a de- 


nial of justice to poor suitors, and 
therefore should be condemned. 
We demand, therefore, that the 
next General Assembly shall pass 
such a general statute on this sub- 
ject, including an alien law similar 
to the Wisconsin statute, so as to 
take from such corpotations doing 
business in this State the privileges 
of carrying on business in North 
Carolina and withdrawing the pro- 
tection of the State extended to 
their busiuess, if they persist in es- 
eaping the jurisdiction of our 


courts when actions are brought 


against them. We also recommend 
a constitutional prohibition of the 
purchase, lease or rental of parallel 
or competing railway lines. 


A JUST DISTRIBUTION OF THE BUR- 
DENS OF TAXATION. ? 


We advocate such legislation as 
will insure a just listing and taxa- 


tion of all evidences of debt, and 


make an equitable adjustment of 


the burden of taxation between 


the debtor and a creditor. 


DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM 
“PLANKS”? ADOPTED MAY 
26, 1898. 


We oppose the removal by cor- 
porations of suits or cases from our 
State to the Federal courts, and 
favor legislation to prevent it. 


Believing that under our present 
methods of Federal taxation that 
more than three quarters of our 
national revenues are paid by peo-. 
ple owning less than one-quarter of 
the property of the country, we pro- 
test against such inequality and in-. 
justice, and in order to' remedy, to 


some extent, this great wrong, we 


favor an income tax, and favor all 
constitutional methods to sustain it. 


PEOPLE’S PARTY PLATFORM DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM 
“PLANKS” ADOPTED MAY 


ADOPTED MAY 17, 1898. 


REDUCTION OF SALARIES. * 


In order to keep our public ser- | 


vants in thorough touch and sym- 
pathy with the oppressed masses, 
and to check to some extent the 
scramble for office, we demand a 
reduction of salaries until such time 
as through an increase of the cur- 
rency the price of property and 
products will justify the present 
rates. 


THE RULE OF THE PEOPLE. 


8 
- We favor the principle of direct 
legislation known as the Initiative 
and Referendum, in order to restore 
and preserve the rule of the people. 
“It will not be opposed by any 
Democrat who endorses the decla- 
ration of Jefferson that the people 
are capable of self-government, nor 
will it be opposed by any Republi- 
can who holds to Lincoln’s idea 
that this should be a government 
of the people, by the people and 
for the people.’’. . 


RESOLUTION. 


ftesolved, ‘That we most earnest- 
ly endorse the address recently 
issued by the National Chairman 
of the People's Partv, and the 
open letter of Hon. W. J. Bryan 
in the New York Fournal 
urging an honorable and harmon- 
ious co-operation of all who oppdse 
the domination of gold and mono- 
poly, and who favor the overthrow 
of the National Bank and railroad 
influence in controlling legislation. 


PREAMBLE. 


The People’s Party was organ- 
ized to remove the causes that pro- 
duce hard times inthe midst of 
plenty by overthrowing the ‘domi- 
nation of the gold ring and its al- 
lied trusts and monopolies, and by 
restoring our government to the 
great fundamental principles of 
good government as advocated by 
Jefferson, Jackson and Lincoln. 


P 


26, 1898. 


‘(No expression. ) 


FF 
(See Democratic plank opposite 
‘Public Schools’’. ) 


We favor a union of the silver 
forces of the country in the Con- 
gressional elections, and cordially 
invite all voters without regard to 
past political affiliations, to unite 


with usin supporting our candidates 


for Congress who favor free coinage 
of silver, thus giving practical force 
and effect to the recommendation of 
our Democratic National chairman, 
Hon. James K. Jones, and to the 
Congressional committee. 


We denounce the Republican 


, party for its defeat of the Teller 


resolutions declaring our national 
bonds payable in silver as well as 
gold, and denounce it for its determ- 
ined purpose of more thoroughly 
fastening the single gold standard 
upon our people, and for its avowed 
hostility to the free and unlimited 


coinage of silver as well as gold at . 


the ratio of 16 to 1 into full legal 
tender money. 


Pal 


ot 


17 


All the essential and virile planks of the State Democratic platform are 
given above. Those not given are only drivelling, moss-back, balderdash, 
pretending to denounce something that does not exist. 

It should be carefully noted that, while everything of vital interest ap- 
pearing in the Democratic platform is purloined from the Peoples Party 


_ platform, there are a number of issues of most especial importance which 


the Democratic platform does not touch. 

It does not mention Local, SELF GOVERNMEN’S. Does not this mean 

-a return to election bull pens, ballot box stuffing and State machine gov- 

ernment in counties if the Democrats are returned to power? Most cer- 
tainly it does. ; 

It does not mention Gop NOTES AND MORTGAGES in this State. Does 

not this mean that the policy of the Democratic party would be to allow 
a continuation of gold contracts by the money and henders and gold bug 
shylocks? Most certainly it does. 
_ It does not mention the Six PER CENT INTEREST Law. Does this not 
mean that the Democratic party covertly favors a return to the policy of 
usurious rates of interest, which policy favors the wealthy classes at the 
expense of the laboring and farming classes? Most certainly it does. 

It does not mention the FRAUDULENT MIDNICHT 99-YEAR LEASE. 
Does this not mean that that Railroad Lawyer Convention, which called 
itself the Democratic Convention, favors this lease, and stands for a po- 
licy that would permit the continuation of such deals and schemes at the 


’ expense of the people? Most certainly it does. 


‘It will be seen that the planks given are patterned after the People’s 
Party platform, thereby proving that the Democratic party in North 
Carolina acknowledges that Populists principles are the best, and confes- 
ses that it could not go before the people for support without first mak- 
ing a profession in favor of them. 

What could be more reasonable than to suppose that any party adopt- 
ing such principles in good faith would gladly favor co-operation with the 
party that first advanced them? What must be thought of any party that 
rudely and arrogantly refuses help to carry out measures for the ye 
good? Did the Democratic party refuse such help? Lets see. 

On May 25th, the day preceding the meeting of the Democratic conven- 
tion, the People’s Party State Central Committee, acting under the au- 
__ thority of the Populist State Convention, handed the following commu- 
nication to the Democratic State Chairman: 


THE COMMUNICATION. 
RALEIGH, N. C., May 25, 1898. 


Hon. Clement Manly, Chairman Democratic State Executive Committee. 


DEAR SIR:—We, the conference committee, elected by the State Con- 
vention of the People’ s Party, which assembled in this city on the 17th © 
_inst., have the honor herewith to present a copy of a series of resolutions 
Vedaneea by the said convention, which resolutions, together with this let- 


ter, we request you as chairman to present to the Democratic State Conven- 


18 


‘tion which is to assemble j in this city on Thursday, May 26, 1898, for such | 
‘consideration and action as the judgment of your convention may | de- * 
termine. ‘ 
This committee was ‘elected by the People’s Party State Convention _ 
under the fifth resolution of the series here presented. BN Gh 
If your convention shall declare its endorsement of the principles BAGS, 
purposes set forth in these resolutions, and favor a co-operation with the 
People’s Party in the coming campaign to carry the same into effect, your 
convention is requested to name a committee to confer with us as to the. i, 
details of the co-operation. a 
We are now present in this city with headquarters at room No. 19, fh 
Park Hotel, where we will await the action of your convention upon this =~ 
transaction. . 
We have the honor to be, 
Very respectfully, 
Cyrus THOMPSON, Ch’ m. 
JAMES B. LLoyp, 
MORRISON H. CALDWELL, 
J. B. SCHULKEN, ' 
Z. T. GARRETT, 
HE. A. Move, 


Committee. 


Hal W. Aver a member of the Conference Committee, was out of the 
‘State when the letter was transmitted, and did not sign it, though he ap- 
proved it. 


RESOLUTIONS ACCOMPANYING THE COMMUNICATION. 


‘WHEREAS, The People’s Party was orgrnized to remove the causes that 
produce hard times in the midst of plenty by overthrowing the domina- 
tion of the gold ring and its allied trusts and monopolies, and by restor- te 
ing our government to the great fundamental principles of good govern- Be. 
ment as advocated by Jefferson, Jackson and Lincoln; and ve 

“WHEREAS, Today the rank and file of all parties (including a large » 
majority of the voters of the United States) unequivocally agree with us 
on the great fundamental questions involved and the results for which 
we have constantly striven; and 

“WHEREAS, The only difference between this great majority of pa- 
triotic voters is as to questions of detail and method; now therefore 

‘“ Resolved 1st, That we most earnestly endorse the address recently 
issued by the National Chairman of the People’s Party, and also the open 
letter of Hon. W. J. Bryan to the New York Journal urging an honorable and 
harmonious co-operation of all who oppose the domination of gold and 
monopoly, and who favor the overthrow of the National Bank and rail- 
road influence in controlling legislation. 

‘“ Resolved 2d, That in the coming State election, we invite the patri- ni 
otic co-operation of any’party or faction of a party who favors the above 2 aad 
general principles and who will co-operate with us to secure the follow- ne a 
ing results, viz: eee 

‘““(1.) To elect nine free silver'and anti-monopoly Congressmen. Pay 

“(2.) To elect six judges of ability and high character and free from 

partisan bias. 


19 

‘‘ (3.) To elect twelve solicitors, fearless and impartial. 

**(4.) To elect an anti-monopoly Legislature pledged to the follow- 
ing; viz: . 

‘“(A) A Legislature opposed to the demonetization of silver by private 
contract, and which will enact legislation to put a stop to the giving and 
taking of gold notes and mortgages. 

‘““(B) A Legislature opposed to government by injunction, which will 
enact sufficient legislation, including a license law similar to the Wiscon- 


_ sin statute, to effectually prevent the removal to Federal courts of ail 


causes which should be tried in our State courts. 

(A) A Legislature opposed to the 99 year lease of the North Carolina 
Railroad, and which will use all lawful and legitimate means to set the 
same aside. 3 

‘“(D) A Legislature opposed to free passes, and which will make the 
present law prohibiting the giving of free passes apply equally to those 
receiving the same. 

‘“(K) A Legislature in favor of a free ballot and a fair count, and 
which will enact legislation guaranteeing to each political party the right 
of being represented on all election boards by representatives of its own 
selection. ; 

““(F) A Legislature in favor of a system of local self-government, and 
which will enact under proper safe-guards sufficient legislation to guar- 
antee to the counties the right to elect local officials. 

“(G) A Legislature in favor of a reduction of freight, passenger and 


express rates, and of telegraph and telephone tariffs to the gold standard 


level: that will endorse the action of Commissioner Pearson in taking 
a stand for such reduction, and which will favor upholding the Railroad 
Commission law, making the same effective according to all of its intents 


‘and purposes, and which will enact legislation providing for the election 


of Railroad Commissioners by the people. 
(5.) Resolved, That this convention elect a conference committee, which 
shall be authorized to confer with any party or faction of a party, that de. 


- elares its endorsement of the above principles and purposes, and that fa- 


yvors co-operation with the People’s Party, to carry the same into effect 
upon such basis as will maintain intact the integrity of the People’s 
Party, and as will preserve to it not less than its present representation in 
both State and National affairs. 


THE REPLY OF THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION. 


_ The following was the reply received: 


“The Committee on Platform and Resolutions, by direction of the con- 
vention, having had under consideration the proposition for fusion made 
by a committee of the Populist party, recommend that this convention 


adopt the following resolutions in respect thereto: 


Resolved 1. That the proposition for fusion submitted by the Populist 
committee, be, and the same is hereby, respectfully declined. 
9%. That the Democratic State Executive Committee, be, and the same 
is hereby instructed to entertain no further proposition for fusion.” 


“ 


SS 


20 


This ‘‘reply’’? was unanimously adopted by the Democratic convention, Tego) 
and thus forthe THIRD TIME the efforts of Populists to effectually unite we | 
_ the forces professing to advocate the same reforms were unsuccessful, 


It should be noted that the efforts of the People’s Party have. nike 


been broad-guaged and generous. It has never asked for co-operation on . 
a single issue or principle that did not commend itself to the people. It — 
endorsed the co-operative addresses of the National chairman of the Demo- 


cratic party, the National chairman: of the Silver Republican party and 


the National chairman of the People’s Party, in a conference held in Ral- - 


eigh in the month of March, 1898. Compare this with the narrow-guage 
policy of the Democrats who have never endorsed anything but the 
address of Democratic Chairman, Jones, and even did that ambiguously. 


SOME QUESTIONS. 


Why has it been impossible for the People’s Party to effect co-operation 
with the Democratic party, when both parties favor, by platform, the same 
measures and principles? Why does the Democratic party persistently 
refuse aid to carry out the principles it professes to advocate, while the 
People’s Party persistently seeks aid to carry out, practically, those same 
principles? Does not such a condition indicate that the leaders of the 
Democratic are insincere and hypocritical? And under such conditions, 
is it not easily reasonable to suppose that the leaders of this party, if put 
into power, would be as false to the people and nation as they were from 


1892 to 1896? Do the ‘‘leaders’’ of the Democratic party expect the con- 
‘tinued success of the ‘‘Political Pendulum Swing’’ mentioned and des- 


cribed in the beginning of this pamphlet. Reference to that ‘‘swing”’ 


will show that a ‘‘Democrat-’ is to be elected next time, provided he is a 


Cleveland Democrat or a gold-ring, monopoly Democrat. Are these 
Democratic ‘leaders’? seeking to keep the voters divided until they can 
invent some scheme by which they can trick the voters in to helping 


them carry out the ‘‘Political Pendulum Swing”’ programme and thus be ~ 


rid of the Peoples Party influence, so that they may again plunge the 
country into another ‘‘rich man’s panic,’’ such as was had under Grover 
Cleveland, and install another epoch of depression, business stagnation, 
and then inaugurate another orgy of bond issues, syndicate swindles and 
monopoly steals? Verily, it seems so. 

Facts and questions are here presented. 

Let the reader draw his own conclusions. 


SOME SAMPLE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTIONS. 
It is as evident as facts can make it, that the Democratic party has for 


years been controlled and dominated by one class and one profession of 
people, viz: LAWYERS. 


The genuine profession of iAw is as honorable as any avocation, and 


in our political autonomy lawyers are a necessity. But. this profes. 


, 


21 


can, perhaps, be perverted to baser and more pernicious ends than any. 
other, The ethics of the profession make this possible. It is permissible 
for a lawyer to become the advocate of a known criminal under the plea 
that ‘‘he must have a fair trial.’”’ It is permissible for a lawyer to hold a 


gn _ seat in the legislature or in Congress where laws are made affecting the 


whole people, and at the same time act as the agent or attorney of a rail- 
road syndicate, a monopoly or a trust which seeks legislation and asks 
for measures which oppress and rob the people under the form of law. 
When a lawyer gets compensation for such service, he ouly RECEIVES A 
FEE. If any one but a lawyer should accept compensation for the same 
work or service, he could and would be charged with ACCEPTING A BRIBE. 
Hence it is, that during one week a prominent lawyer may he seen in a 
convention helping to make ‘‘platforms’’ in the interest of the people, 
and the very next week that same lawyer may be seen acting as the 
attorney of a great syndicate, or railroad corporation or trust, and doing 
his utmost to overturn the policies announced in a platform he may have 
helped to make and professes to advocate. This is not an unusual spec- 
tacle, though all, LAWYERS cannot be subjected to this charge. There 
are a FEW exceptions. 

But these EXCEPTIONS do not constitute the element usually seen in - 
political conventions, and those who are Not the EXCEPTIONS constitute 
the element which has so completely dominated, and now dominates the 
Democratic party in this State. To illustrate this matter, some sample 
Democratic conventions are here referred to. 

The Democratic convention of 1896 acquired the name of the “‘Great 

_ Lawyer Convention, because it was a ‘‘lawyer machine.’’ This fact was 
evidenced by the following: 


Nominee for Goyernor..\.. o450..0.. Cyrus B. Watson........ Lawyer. 
Nominee for Lieut-Governor....... Thos. W. Mason........ Lawyer. 
Nominee for Secretary of State..... Si. ACOOMON IN Gey facies Lawyer. 
Nominee for State Treasurer.......B. F. Aycock 
Nominee for Auditor....05........ By MiPorman. 3c! cap Lawyer. 
Nominee for Attorney-General...... FP sds OSROrNGe Sess ak .. Lawyer. 
_ Nominees for Supreme Court. oe { re sel 6 a Pes Lawyers. 
Meee CAMFINAT 4 osc 8) 3 Sele ees 3 yas. He Reyes ons awree. 
Temporary Convent’n Ch’rm’n.....T. F. Kluttz .......... Lawyer. 
Permanent Convent’n Ch’rm’n..... Clement Manly. ........ Lawyer. 
’ Nominee 1st Congression’] Dist......W. H. Lucas... ......... Lawyer. 
Nominee 2d Congression’] Dist......F. A. Woodard... ....... Lawyer. 
Nominee 3d Congression’1 Dist.. .. Frank Thompson........Lawyer. 
Nominee 4th Congression’] Dist.... E. W. Pou............. Lawyer. 
_ Nominee 5th Congression’l Dist.....W. W. Kitchin.......... Lawyer. 
Nominee 6th Congression’] Dist.....Jas. A. Lockhart .......Lawyer. 
Nominee 7th Congression’] Dist.....S. J. Pemberton......... Lawyer. 
Nominee 8th Congression’1 Dist..... R, A, Dongittem. (oes Lawyer. 


Nominee 9th Congression’] Dist.....J. S. Adams............ Lawyer, 


#2 


The entire State and Congressional ticket might have been blad up of 
lawyers but for an incident that occurred during the session of the con- 
vention. Balloting was in progress to nomiuate a candidate for State  ~ 
Treasurer, and Capt, Samuel A. Ashe was farin the lead. At this junc- 
‘ture, delegate R. N. Hackett—a lawyer—appeared on the platform and 
called attention to the fact that the lawyers were taking everything. He 
did not think this was good politics—did not think that the farmers 
would take kindly to a ticket made up of lawyers, and he, as a member 
of the profession would advise against it. This point was fatal to the 
nomination of Capt.. Ashe. The tide turned against him and Aycock, 
farmer, was nominated, This action was not inspired by generosity 
or fairness, but was an open effort to catch the votes of farmers by put- 
ting one farmer on the ticket. 

In this convention everybody who was presented for nomination for 
any office, except Treasurer, was a lawyer. Nearly every one who spoke 
was a lawyer, and all the committees were made up of a majority of law- 
yers, and hence it was that this gathering was appropriately given the 
name of ‘‘Great Lawyer Convention.”’ 

Now, let us look at another ‘sample Democratic convention. * oe 
gathering which met in Raleigh, May 26, 1898, under this name is now 
known as the ‘‘Great Railroad Lawyer Convention.’ ‘This is because of 
the noted presence and predominating influence of a large number of 
well known railroad attorneys in this meeting. The ‘“‘machinery” of the 
convention, and hence the machinery of the party it claims to represent, 
is manned, oiled and manipulated almost entirely by lawyers. The 
“‘machine’’ presents the following spectacle: 


Chairman of Convention... . C.M.Cooke ............... Lawyer. 
Chairman State Comniittee.....F. M. Simmons.... ........ Lawyer. 


COMMITTEE ON CREDENTIALS. 3 


Fk AP WROOEE coil oats vaio ern Pitt COUT Ua cine ie Lawyer. 


PU CTR fais bi Burs pee ye er Warren commty) (720 Lawyer. 

$OS, Fo MMA oc oe ad oe ieee Cumberland county......... Unknown. 

Asi Sia We yo ie ea Vance County y) cco oe Lawyer. 

SR UO Wisse io kG ise ee Orange county ..... .... Merchant. ‘ 
Cam. Morrison .............. Richmond county....:...... Lawyer. js 
D. W. Robinson...... Ras ena Laticoln Gomaty een ee Lawyer. bg 
Ch, Wie Enea we ee Forsyth wountye:. i Merchant. MBS 
PT BA a aa et McDowell county... 7.5... Lawyer. a My 


COMMITTEE ON ORGANIZATION. Mee 


Go Tam ee ane DiAnan, COUnty! soc ol Ye ok Lawyer. 
WAS Dracus, ue a i Pie tee COUR Be CE ae Lawyer. 
W. E. Murchison 0) 0) 94 a Cumberland county......... Lawyer. 


a ye 4 % 
i gee Yarboro fo IMS oO SS 2 Franklin WME ore ne Lawyer. 
J. S. Cunningham. .....).....,;Person county. .......0..... wee, 
Dy McCall. f NR De a .....Mecklenburg county... Aas Lawyer. 
Po a ae eats OOUNTY Sk es Merchant. 
tof? ghd 2 ae eater “ia Watauga county o..... 04... . Lawyer. 
RD, Gilmer. 6 563 Dt Minbar OOUNEY wi Sse, Lawyer. 
COMMITTEE ON PLATFORM. 
PU a. 5 gale « Maras PA BNG oi llc os *.. Lawyer. 
Der ECR 8 ee Peale County : oe cic. Lawyer. 
CULO OL dea eo AGRE S .,. Onslow county.....:.... 7... Lawyer. 
Josephus Daniels ........ ..... Wake county. 
PAIN tt ARCMIN 0 cha esol art if PROPER UML GS Lk doa). Lawyer. 
gs OCI MEE A? go ee dh AMSONVCOUNEV i. oS Lawyer. 
Dee oS) Vvermans S005). ROWE AUNTY ie luoe. 6 6 Lawyer. 
PRM. De MEOH 6 os ue Alleghany county........... Lawyer. 
ra Martin. baa citiehs pos Moun a Buncombe county.......... Lawyer. 
VICE-PRESIDENTS. 
SI, IE TE bao a ae ee Beaufort connty............. Lawyer. 
OW Ry Allen oe ye kee sae te Wayne DOUMty oc yee Lawyer. 
pee) Pe oGrady. 2. oo. es aiem ere Duplin county. ...5...0.. 
CUES U DUE Beadle igre le pa Johnston county....-...... Lawyer. 
PRONG NVESOG a gong gb ais ee. UGailtora county... ede Lawyer. 
| ROE Le PW i ha a 8 - Richmond county.......... Lawyer. 
A PS yy OER Gk Tasch es aes « . Cleveland county............ Lawyer. 
Peri BAO Ye io ak ee on DNs Ki PAVE COMMU Y AGG: ogee eeu ek Lawyer. 
Wie pty kee ). poRutherford county. oo... Doctor. 
STATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 
PE ecsiaciy Ee elu e & 5 Ne Carteret county .... 00.0.4: Lawver. 
UES gag: Corll On aka ge Hertford county oso. Lawyer. 
SPREE ies Rees gas Pitt county ..4/4:. la ae Cnet Lawyer. 
Dean Gc tose. S's Reatfort. county... 24h) Lawyer. 
ENS COLT A es Northampton county....... Lawyer. 
Beeee MSO ee Bertie county... Moy <cues . . Lawyer. 
TOMMORA EROTO VR che lo gs. wes bel e Wayne county. «4.40. ¢8e: Merchant. 
_ Raw. Speight.............---- Edgecombe county.......... Doctor. 
Pi i [Aas Ake: BT VAT Ou She Mess uN G Cravet county visas eee Lawyer. 
: “4 John M. Faison........ AAS OR «.Duplin county ..-.....-.+. Doctor. 
“SDE MeLears vii... ' a, Harnett county... ..........- Lawyer. 
‘ Ty Ay Miuirchisotia, oa. ss: Cumberland county.......... Lawyer. 
im, Younge.s yaa inate e Vance county....... weseee Merchant, 
E. C. Beddingfield,..,.........Wake county. 


a ‘ Wet. 
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er i 
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BS. Sprditl  /cssyey cove Beamlelin county. ays 


Wiley: Rieti Ole Nee ee ..Randolph county....... Reet 

FS BAR a ee, Durham county. fae) 

ANS Ak RPRCIEREREMON Ss perercy to: Ny (es Granville county. .... aa 

AY We Haywood. ee oo Alamance county nee 

Rice eee Sage Rockingham county.........L; | 
Heriot: Clarkson... 2 22.65. a Mecklenburg county ....... Lawyer. 

Wilke NGA lato var Richmond county. ....., .. Lawyer. 
W. H. Bernard............,....New Hanover county......., Editor. 

bon Ha ALtGESON: 0 li! ".4.+<¢.,Robeson countyl.........,., Lawyer. , 

oR Means. 6." oh ai. Cabarrus county.........,... Lawyer. 

Wis Fa Williams oo ora Catawba county... 0... 5,.20.; Drummer. — and 
Qe.Py, Mason cio 01 Ro Dae Gaston county. ..:...... -... Lawyer, 
J. R. McClelland. . 03.0... pidrédell county * 4... pple as ‘Doctor. 

WN. Barer ci or eg eng Wilkes county..... soe eee AW er, 

Fe Pec OWI td S a Surry County. 4 0 ar ee Lawyer. 
@ement Manly..... CRY Aeneas Forsyth county.) 008 82 Lawyer, -/ 59/0) 
Wi ONIN noe Caldwell. coumty cy Con Lawyer. BS 
IE Ub SAGAS aN at ae aa Haywood county.:.......... Lawyer. — | 
Bee UusiCe. ees ee Ps yt Rutherford county ......... Lawyer. 

W. Me Bloore vio ., Jackson ecounty..20,°7 3 bawyets 

Ce. AN Deer a! 5 oe Buncombe’ county.) 406.3 Unknown, 1° 


¢ 


Only facts are stated above and their silent evidence proves an almost 
if not entire lawyer domination of the Democratic machine. It should 
never be held that lawyers have no right to representation in publicor — 
political affairs, but the peculiar ethics of their profession, if nothing . Re 
else, makes it debatable—VERY DEBATABLE—as to whether they should ; 
completely dominate or have entire control of anything of a public or Por SEG ‘ 
litical import. According to the tax returns as shown by the State Audi- 
tor’s Report, there are less than two thousand lawyers in the State of i 
North Carolina. Yet in most important and momentous matters, they 
constitute more than two-thirds of the members of great committees in 


the Democratic patty or ‘‘ machine.”’ ‘ " Baye tots ly 
Where, in this “machine,’”’ are the representatives of THE PEOPLE— a 

the Farmers, the Artisans, the Mechanics, the Carpenters, the Painters, 4 

the Teachers, the Salesmen, the Fishermen, the Cotton Factory Workers, ‘| 


the Miners, the Sailors, the Tanners, the Lumbermen, the Millers, the 
Fruit-growers, the.Truckers, the Printers, the Farm Hands, the City La- : eh 
borers and all other working classes? For these there is no spokesman— iy ay 
no representative! Only lawyers, attorneys for corporations, trusts and a i, 
railroad syndicates are in control, and this ‘‘ machine” seeks a new lease A 
of power to grind the people. Shall this powerbe granted? 


te be hg bgt 
~ 


